Display sign



Feb. 13, 1940. J HUTCH-INSON 2,190,426

DISPL'AY SIGN Filed April 1, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 rmss INVENTOR I .fobJfu'tchznsofi/ Feb. 13, 1940. J. HUTCHINSQN 2,190,426

' DISPLAY SIGN Filed April 1, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR wrmasszsJ66 J51 Zeh/ Lnson I BY Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES II DISPLAYS IGN I I Job-Hutchinson, Great Neck, N. Y., assignor to VisualMerchandiser, Inez, New York, N. Y., a I corporation. of New YorkApplication April l, 193.9, sensin 265,431

6 Claims.

ture' being such that it will function, continuously as long as thepower is turnedon and the sign 1| members will be successivelybroughtopposite the window and held stationary for a given length of time andthen moved outof the way. I

An additional and more; specific object is to provide a. display signwhich occupies comp r 20 ti-vely'small space and, at, the same time,presents numerous independent sign members to view. in succession, thestructure beingsuch. that, during .the functioning of, the sign thesignmemberswill 1' be brought in succession opposite a position tobeviewedgand' then movedina path out; of sight until all the signmembershavebeen exposed to. View,

after which the operation is" repeated. once or I more times as desired.

Another objectof' the invention is to provide a m display sign whereinvsign members may be b zought successively to view. in back of a window-.and in, frontof illuminating devices, whereby the I successive signs.may; be illuminated'both While they. are stationary in front .ofi'thewindow andas 5.; they are, moving to. that position and from; thatposition. I V

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view through Fig. 4approxi- :mately .011 the line l-ls, illustrating the mecha- 4 nnismain-elevation and the casing in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View through Fig. 1 approxi- I mately on the line2-2, -certain parts being omitted from the view for the purpose ofclear- -ness; I

a Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2lbut showing the :parts in adifferent position; I

Fig. 4 is a horizontal s'ectionalview-through Fig. 1. approximately onthe line 4-4;

Fig. 5 is;a sectional view on an enlargedscaleof the lower part of themechanism shown in- Fig. 2 and illustratingall the .cletailparts intheir roletive positions; I

Ei-gi, 6'is afragmentaizy perspective view of I one end of a sign memberor sheettogether. with the 55 parts connect dthereto;

Fig; 7 isa perspective view of riot-tor the roll-shown in'Fig fig, I

8' is a detail. fragmentary"perspective View of a blockadap-ted tofitinto-the structure. shown I in Fig, '7, together withoneendfofthepullingibar 5 shown inFig. 6; g VI Fig. .9 is a perspective view-{ofone endof the plate adapted. to, be connected-with the structure shownin Fig. '7 for holding the block of Fig.;8';in correctopposite position;I

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view throughv Fig. 1 approximately onthe line Mia-10 Fig. 11- is a fragmentary sectional, view illustratingthev sign moving chain and gearing associated therewith; I

Fig. l2;isa view similar to-Fig. 3. but showing a slightlymodifiedconstruction. I I

Referringto the accompanying drawings by numerals, l indicatesa'easingof'any desired kind,

one end. of. a car,

asfor; instance, metal. This casing is preferably I rectangular and theparts secured together in any desired manner. At. the front,'howeventhecas- 1 ing isprovided with a window fl-which-may-becon- I.nected to the front wall. 3, which -fr.ont wall may be wood or othersuitable material withoutdeiparting: from the spiritof: the invention.Arranged interiorly of; thecasing l are, supporting plates 4 and5-which=extend from thetop to-the bottom of thecasing and which maybewelded or otherwise rigidlysecured to the casing; These '30 supportsarev preferably metal, athough--they-; could be made of WOOdand ifmadeof Wood they may. be secured in anyHsuitable inannerto the casing,as for instance by screws,;braekets,.or the like. The supporting platest and 5 areadaptedto carry or supportgall the mechanism except the motor6 and associated parts, asshown in Fig. 1;, which are supported on aplatform .7. carried-by brackets'fi secured. to the bottomv o f-I thecasinggl in any desired manner. 'lfhe motorrfi. is prefers ablyanelectricmotor and may. be connected to a source of current in anydesired. manner. As I shown in Fig. 1, a receptacle-9 is providedwhiohis adapted to feed. current not only-to-themotor: but todamps lilashereinafterfullyzdescribed. Qurrentpassing through the receptacle. Qmust pass j through what may betermedamaster'switch H and from-thisswitchtheournentfiows toauxiliary' switches l2 and 1.3.Theauxiliaryswitch l-2.con.-

trols the current to-the lamps Lil while the auxiliary switch Itcontrols the currenttomotor .6. If, desired, a. resistance l4 could beprovided tween the switch l3 and motor 6.

The. motor 6' is. connected/through any suitable form of-clutch. .l5i toagear. reducin strucand the numerals in secured by screws or othermeans, a bracket which clamps the bar MI rigidly in place. desired, thebar Ml could be welded or otherwise ture it of any desired kind and thisgear reducing structure has a driving shaft 1'! extending therefrom onwhich the sprocket I8 is mounted and towhich it is rigidly secured. Asillustrated particularly in Fig. 10, the sprocket wheel l8 carries achain l9 'which passes over sprocket wheel-2E The sprocket wheel 2!] isrigidly secured to shaft 2| so as to rotate shaft 2! and respectivesprockets 22. secured thereto. As illustrated in Fig. 4, there are twosprockets 22 and these sprockets accommodate the respective chains 23and 24, which chains pass overv the respective sprocket wheels 25adjacent the top of the machine. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 2,each of the sprocket chains 23 and 2:1 is provided with a special link25 which is formed with a lug or abutment 2? in position to strike therespec-' tive blocks 28. As shown in Fig. 4, there are two blocks 28 andthe parts are so set and proportioned that the lugs Z'I on therespective chains will simultaneously strike the respective blocks forraising the same. Each of the blocks 28, as shown in Fig, 8, is providedwith a notch 29 for accommodating the end of the stretching or pullingrod 30 and with an aperture or bore 3| for accommodating the end of arod 32 connected to a roller 33.- All the rollers 33 and associatedparts are identical so that a description of one will apply to all.

The roller 33 is in the nature of an ordinary curtain roller but withoutpawls. As shown in Fig. 4, this roller is provided with a casing 34connected with suitable end members 35. A coil spring 35 is arrangedwithin the casing 34 and positioned to rotate casing 34 for a sign sheet3'! thereon when permitted to do so. The sign sheets or members 31 maybe formed of paper, cloth, or other flexiblematerial. On these flexible'membersrare printed or otherwise mounted advertisements or any form ofsign desired. Normally the partsare wound, as shown particularly at theright-hand part of Fig. 5 and also in Fig. 6.

As both sides of the mechanism interior of the supporting plates 4 and 5are the same, a descrip- "tion of one'side will apply to both. For thepurpose of description, the assemblage indicated by the numeralBBin-Fig. 5 will be called a sign group. This group consists of rollers33, sign sheet or member 3?, spring 36, rod 32, block 28,

fitting 39 as shown in Fig. 7, transverse bar 40, and retaining plate4|. The illustration in Figs. 6-156 '9 is the same at bothsides of themachine these figures are adapted to be used at both sides of themachine.

The. fitting 39 is substantially U-shaped, as shown in Fig. 4, and inaddition is provided with a cutout 42 into which block 28 fits. On theunder portion d3, as shown in Fig. 7, there is 44 If secured to fitting39. As illustrated in Fig. 1, suitable screws 45} hold the respectivebrackets in place. Journal pins or screws 46 and G6 are screwed into theend 4! of bracket or fitting 39 and these screwscarry the respectiverollers 48 and-49. Rollers 48 and 59 travel in an endlesspath 50 (Fig.4). The path 50 is formed by a channel iron 5! which, if desired, may beproyided with a flange 52 bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to thesupporting plate 5. As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6,the channel iron5| has a pair of parallel sides an'd' arc-shaped ends, one of the sidesbeing positioned near the front wall 3. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5,there are a large number of sign group 38 and all of these groups areconstructed identically with the respective rollers 48 and 49 thereoffitting into the respective channel irons 5i and El. Referring again tothe fitting 3! it is to be understood that change one of the sign sheets3?, the plate 53 adjacent the sign sheet is removed and then the vrespective blocks 28 are removed. The sign sheet is then removed and anew one provided, if desired, and then the other parts replaced.

The various sign groups have their rollers 8 and Q9 positioned in therespective runways 5B and tend toautomatically move downwardly by reasonof gravity. However,,means have been provided as hereinafter fullydescribed whereby the various sign-groups are held against movement bygravity until properly released, and this release merely releases onesign group at a time.

As shown in. Fig. 2, the flanges forming the respective runways St atthe front arecut away.

A friction plate 54 on each side of window 2 is provided-and normallyfunctions to holdthe sign groups 38 in their lower position.v Springs 56and 67 carried by the the casing I act to force the respective frictionplates 54 to the position shown inFig. 2, whereby the curved end 68at'the bottom holds the sign group from rising and the.

lug 6d at the top holds the upper sign group I from moving downwardly.At the rear of the casing the respective runways have their innervflanges 5?) offset 'rearwardly to permit the respective frictionsomewhat but not completely.

At the bottom of the runways 50, as shown'in Fig. 2, there is provided atoothed member having a number of teeth plates 5&- at the-rear to pressagainst the various rollers 68 and 48 to resist the of gravity.

and 39.. In this way the various sign-groups are supported, I I

5% spaced apart prop.

erly to readily straddle one roller from each of two adjacent signgroups.

shown in Fig. 2.

As illustrated in'Fig. I 2, the. rollers 48 and 49 are in one signgross; while rollers 18a. and 490, are in the next sign] group. Thetoothed wheel 55 rotates as indicated I v by the arrow 5'! so that assoon as the particular sign group 38' shownin Fig; 2 is moved upwardly-I from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that showr in Fig. 3, or fartherupwardly, the next sign I group 38 will be immediately raised to theposi-; tion formerly occupied by the sign group BSQas'I This raisingmovement is caused by the downward movement of the various signj groupsheld partly by thefriction of rear plate] 5t. To help the friction plate5s support the sign.

groups, the roller 190, will :strike the tooth 56 9f,

wheel55 next to the left, as shown in Fig. 2,;andf

will be preventedfrom further movement except? 1 This toothed as thetoothed wheel 55-moves.

as" the machine functions. toothedwheel 55,;it will be observedthatthsame is'rigidly connected to a shaft 58 and, a s

Concerning the shown in Figs. 4 and 11, shaft 5-58 is rigidly secured toa large 'gearwheel 58 which continually meshes with a smallpinion B0rigidly secured to a gear."

6|, which latter gear'is" continually in 11118811;

in Fig. 3, the sign group will be moved upwardly at the same ratethattherespective chains 23 and 24 move. In a short time the sign groupwill reach the upper end of its travel and as it moves upwardly it willpull the sign sheet 3?, as shown at the left in Fig. 5, so as to exposethe same through window 2. By the time that the sign group 38 at theleft of Fig. 5 reaches the top of its travel the sign sheet 37 will befully exposed. As the sign group 38 reaches the upper end of its travelit will strike the lug 64' and pass on upwardly and partly around thecurved end 50' to runway 50. The movement will continue until the lug 21slips past whereupon all of -'the sign groups at the left of the curvedupper end 50' will fall back to substantially the position shown inFig.3. The sign sheet 37' which is now in-front of the window 2 will remainstationary though the chains 23 and 24 will continue to move at theirregular rate of speed. The sign sheet will remain stationary until thelug 2! again engages a sign group at the lower end 'of the travel of thechains and starts to raise the new sign group upwardly. The new signgroup functions as the one just described and this action continues aslong as the'machine is in. operation, whereby the sign sheet 3i of eachsign group will be successively brought to View in back of the window 2and will remain stationary for a prescribed length of time. After all ofthe sign groups have been disclosed, the operation continues so thatthere will be a second disclosure, a third, and so on as the machinecontinues to function. Sometimes it is desired to have a less number ofsign groups in the runways 50 and when this is the case the structureshown in Fig. 12 is used. However, the sign sheets of these groups willbe brought to view and held stationary a predetermined time in a similarmanner to the way these members are brought toview and held stationaryas shown in Figs. 2 and 3. ,A certain number of sign groups have beeshown inthe accompanying drawings but, if desired, the runways could bemade longer Ior shorter and thereby more or less of these signmemberscould be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.I v

By reason of the construction shown, particularly in Figs. 6 to 9inclusive, it will be readily seen that the sign sheets 31 could beremoved whenever desired and new ones substituted so as to change thesigns according to the wishes of the person paying for the same. In thesubstitution, a newsigngroup usually would be provided, I

but, if desired, the old sign sheet 31 could be torn from the roller anda new'one applied. The inner end of the sign sheet 31 may be tacked orotherwise rigidly secured to the casing 34.

I claim:' i

1. A display sign including a casing having a window, a pair of facingguideways arrangedlin said casing, there being one guideway on each sideof said window, a plurality of sign groups having their ends slidablymounted in saidguideways, each of said sign groups including a drum,

a sign sheet having one end secured to said drum,

a spring for normally rotating the sign sheet on the drum, meansconnecting the opposite end of the sign sheet toth'e next precedinggroup, means adjacent said window for preventing said sign groups frommoving opposite said window, said means including a plurality of looselyrotatablerubber rollers positioned to engage part .of the reroller andabar connected to the free end of the spective sign groups as theymove tothelower end of said window, an endless chain for each of saidguideways, each of said chains havinga lug posi- 9 tioned to engage andforce the respective sign groups past said rollers and also past saidwindow whereby the sign sheets of the succeeding group' will bedisplayed as the preceding sign groupjis 2. A display sign including acasing havinga window, a pair of guideways arranged withinthe casing, aplurality of .sign groups-carried by said guideways so that in part oftheir travel the sign groups will move past said window, a toothedmember positionedso that its teeth' will in suocession act as abutmentsfor preventing the sign groupsfrom passing said window, spring-pressedmeans for resiliently holdingsaid toothed member against rotation,- apair of endless chains,*a

lug'on each of said endlesschainspositioned to engage the sign groups insuccession opposite said toothed wheel and move the sign groups pastthe.

toothed wheel and also past the window, and" power actuated means formoving said chains continuallyduring the use of the display sign. v p

3. A display sign including a casing having-awindow, a pair of endlessguideways arranged in the casing and provided with straight sectionsopposite said window, a spring pres'sedguide ar-'' ranged interiorly ofthe casing adjacent the window, a plurality of sign groups having theirends loosely positioned in said guideways, means for engaging andsuccessively moving said sign groups past said window, each of said signgroups 1 including a drum, a sign sheet having one end secured to thedrum, a spring for winding the sign sheet on the-drum and means at theother end of the sign sheet for connecting the same to the nextpreceding sign sheet wherebyas the respective sign groups are moved pastsaid win- (low the sign sheets of the respective sign groups will bespread out in back of said. window, and springmeans acting on the signsheets 'for holding the same against said spring pressed guide. wherebythe sign sheets may beclearly seen-i through said window,

'4. A display sign including a casing having a 50. window, a pluralityof sign groups arranged in saidfcasing, guideways for guiding said'sign;

said rollers'extending into the respective guideways, a rigid barconnecting said end members,

a drum rotatably mounted on said end members, a sign sheet having oneend secured to a; roller, a spring for winding the sign sheet on thesign sheet, said bar being mounted inthe next, preceding sign group,means for moving said sign groups successively past said window, said.means moving the sign groups at spaced intervals past said window,eachsign group as' itx moves past the window. pullingthe sign sheetof" Iposition in back' of said window, and a pairfof' the next succeedinggroup so as to unwind the. same and bring the last'mentioned sheet toa.70. resilient rollers positioned adjacentthe lower 'end s of saidwindow and arranged to engage the re-* i spective bars on the respectivesign groups for preventing the movement of thesign groups-rte.a'position opposite said window until positively the sign groups willmove past saidvwindow; said I sign groups filling saidguideways at thepart 'oppositesaid window and at thebottom whereby the weight of thesign groups atthe part of the guideways opposite the window willcontinually tend tomove the. sign groupstoward said window, a toothedmember so positioned that its teeth will, act .in succession asabutments' for preventingthe sign groups" from passing said window,spring-pressed means for resiliently holding said toothed member againstrotationfa pair of endless chains, alug on each of said chainspositioned to engage the sign groups in succession opposite' saidtoothed member and move the sign groups past said toothed membertoagposition to be exposed opposite said window and then to a positionin said guideways opposite said window, and power actuated means formoving said chains continually 'duringvthe, use of the v display sign.

6. In a device as set forth in claim 2 characterized by having a pair ofendless guideways formed with vertically disposed parallel front andback sections and arc-shaped top and'bottom sections,

sign groups being sufiiciently. numerous to completely fill said backsections and said bottom sections whereby the weight of the sign groupsacting under gravity will continually urge the sign groups in saidbottom sections to move toward said front sections, and thereby permitthe use of a minimum motive force in causing the sign groups tofunction;

' JOB HUTCHINSON.

